How to spot a Fake Shure SM58

A hopefully helpful video on spotting a fake Shure SM58, so you don't waste your money like I did.
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Video Copyright © Adam Thomas 2014
#shuresm58
#fake
#counterfeit

[@ducciboi]

Knock offs can sometimes sound pretty legit though. Got one from Aliexpress for like $27 and it sounds pretty legit. You just don't want to end up paying full $100 for a knockoff.

[@meetimian3383]

I'm also looking to buy a copy one with wireless transmitter. I guess they're pretty similar. And it is costing me only 95$ besides shipping charges

[@Alexmejorsindramas]

thank you very much, you have done the most complete sumary I've seen of details to show up if is or not fake

[@parthmehta1532]

Was just about to buy a fake one, Thank u so much, i dont noe y but i thot of doing a bit of research jus b4 buying it, i literally opened google standing in front of the shopkeeper (who was selling me fake SM58) and searched for "how to spot a fake Shure sm58" and landed up here, Thanks a ton!!!!! God bless u!!

[@AdamThomasMusic]

No problem! I wish you the best of luck finding a real one

[@Bransfiiiield]

Thanks for the vid man, very helpful. Turns out the 'definitely fake' SM58 I got for next to nothing is a real one. Huh.

[@JimKinkade]

Perhaps this is the microphone that Milli Vannilli used.

[@kresbok8092]

Hey just back from the music shop! And yes it was a FAKE MIC! I was soooo pissed off! I actually find out last night doing more research, so I went to another music shop were I bought the ORIGINAL! I talk to the guys and I show them the FAKE ONE, immediately they could tell it was counterfeit, from the weight, the box, everything, they all come in white boxes, but here's a tip, the sticker with the S/N the color should be WHITE! Not grey or silver! That way you can spot it right away, i could not believe that in a "big" music shop sell these knockoffs, thanks for the reply and the video! Cheers man! P.S: I got the money back from the FAKE mic (they almost charge like the price of the original)

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Pablo Robles Hey, I'm glad you got your money back, its depressing to know that a big shop would sell fake microphones. Also everyone should give Pablo's comment a thumbs up so that they can know to check the colour of their stickers, if they have them on their microphones.

[@kresbok8092]

Yeah man! i could not believe it! but here in Argentina is like this, makes me so angry! thanks for the help!

[@AdamThomasMusic]

No problem. I am glad I was able to help :)

[@xXDarkxIdealsXx]

+Pablo Robles You gotta realize that a big shop might even be MORE susceptible to fakes slipping in, as they have so many items in inventory that they might not have time to check them all. For example, someone working at a warehouse that ships the shure mic's to the "big store" might be the scammer, maybe when his boss isn't looking he takes a few legit SM58's and puts the fakes deep in the box, and when it gets to the shop they check the 20 mic's on top and figure "the rest must be ok" since they don't have time to check every single one.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

That is a good point, but at least with a music shop you can return it if its fake

[@melomania2637]

great video dude, you seem like a cool chap as well.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

+Melomania thankyou :) I'm glad you enjoyed it

[@grayfox9000]

I have to say there is one time the microphone could not have the marking and is indeed a sticker and be genuine,(not inside the capsule, on the outside where it says Shure SM 58) vintage dual impedance SM58's from 1966 to around 1984. The Shure logo is different and it is a sticker, very firmly held in place with what seems like glue, and the wording "Dual impedance, 50&150 Ohms and "unidirectional dynamic Made in U.S.A". They include an extra wire inside to change from 50 to 150 Ohms, you solder the wire in place depending on the use. I own one of these mics myself soldered to what is used today, which is 150 ohms. They are more Gray in colour compared to todays models as I have a newer one to hand as well, the one I have is late 60's as inside the material surrounding the capsule is brown. I got it broken for £10, it just needed soldering.

[@bluecar5556]

Here are signs it's fake just glancing at the outside and not take anything apart. On the cover, the ring going around the equator, the groove down the middle is very narrow on the genuine one (fake is very wide groove and the ring appears to stick out further and thicker). Like he mentioned, the connector end of the body will be one solid piece and "SHURE SM-58" is written three times around the perimeter on the mic body directly under the screw on globe cover. The word SHURE will have their own custom font and will be a dead giveaway. Scratch at it as hard as you want but it does not rub off. When unscrewing the microphone (not the cover), on an authentic SM-58 the threads coming out of the nut are flush. The wires also are cleanly soldered without too much heat (insulation isn't burned).

[@MyKuL1990]

Wow, very concise and informal. Nice vid man, I appreciate the upload.

[@MyKuL1990]

26 quid, suppose u got a xlr and a spare mic + educational video, well played lol

[@michaelgamble296]

Another very quick check - no unscrewing anything - just look at the pins in the XLR - they should be silver.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Good tip! Thanks

[@axmancaye]

Thank you so much for the video. I'm getting one soon. Sorry for you for getting ripped off.. Have a nice days, cheers!!

[@CharlyRome]

Muy bueno!! Gracias

[@defonotmario]

Also, in a genuine 58, the bolt does not stick out that much when you open it. there is very little space between the nut and the end of the bolt

[@nobodyhome9985]

Very helpful video, thanks! Love the accent.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Thanks :)

[@l58p56]

When looking in the xlr plug area, the REAL one will have a trash can symbol with a line through it (Do not throw away in the trash) between the connectors. You can see this @ 2:01 Excellent Video BTW!

[@jcalla28]

Another video I watched about this showed that the fake ones come in a white box with the mic showed up front as opposed to the black box with the "Legendary vocal microphone" and such written on the front end. Another clue being that the cable that you got with it actually comes in the box with the fake ones, which of course is not the case with the real ones. Great video though, thanks for the info!

[@AdamThomasMusic]

I bought mine at a pawn shop, it didn't come with a box so I thought the previous owner had misplaced it. If I had seen a fake looking box I wouldn't have bought it

[@jcalla28]

AdamThomasMusic yes I had noticed you mentioned that in the video, but I thought I'd put it for other people who might be buying it new and don't know what the box actually looks like. I have to say though, you're better off with a genuine SM57 than a SM58. I have one and I'd trade it for a SM57 any day! I've seen several comparisons, the SM57 just sounds much better on instruments and vocals as well!

[@swifto0osloth]

AdamThomasMusic cheers for the video I saw this www.ebay.com.au/itm/used-SHUR-SM58s-Dynamic-Vocal-Microphone-Mic-with-switch-on-off-shure-SM58-/261872411412?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3cf8cfe314 and watched your video thinking it's probably a fake but all visible things on the photos look right, the indent around the silver ring, the solid one piece bottom, the writing there.... what do you think?

[@AdamThomasMusic]

swifto0osloth Hmm im not so sure about that one, the on/off switch worries me. Post that link on a gear forum and see what people on there say! Goodluck

[@stevieG.]

I got a Stagg IMP 600 for £18.99 a few years back and it's exactly like the fake Chinese ones. It came from a proper music shop who sell Shure mics but I guess it's got the Stagg brand name so it's not a fake as such. It's not a bad mic tbh but it's a bit inconsistant with proximity but incredible value as it came with a lovely lead and a hard case.

[@GraffitiPhysical]

You confirmed what I suspected, soon as I unpacked it and used it I could tell it's quality wasn't right. Didn't know they went to the extent of boxing them etc.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

GraffitiPhysical Sorry to hear you got conned. Did you get your money back?

[@GraffitiPhysical]

Too late now. I lost the Ebay contact details. I had a feeling it was a knockoff but I wasn't able to confirm until now. Never mind, I know what to look out for. The sound quality is always a giveaway.

[@guyp3599]

Thanks man. Nice hair btw

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Thank you!

[@vanyacriswel4933]

thanks bro, this helped a lot :-)

[@AdamThomasMusic]

+Vanya Criswel im glad it did, thanks for watching

[@HongNguyen-my5oq]

Thanks mate.

[@clydeletreta6325]

thanks for the response my friend, aloha from Hawaii.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

No problem mate. Good morning from Britain

[@marianaiordache7159]

​@@AdamThomasMusicHi!

[@clydeletreta6325]

I'll really check for originality next time I go shopping for a Shure Mic. Is there any other brands that could be used for knockoffs?

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Unfortunately most brands seem to have knockoffs made. I managed to guy a fake Epiphone guitar, not even a Gibson! I would look out for fake AKG's, Sennheisers and Rodes.

[@RishiKumar-yi7jl]

Thanks bro

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Glad to help!

[@RyansYoutubeAccount]

Thank You .

[@AdamThomasMusic]

You're welcome!

[@zikamiri7209]

Hwy nice thumbnail!

[@meetimian3383]

I'm also looking to buy a copy one with wireless transmitter. I guess they're pretty similar. And it is costing me only 95$ besides shipping charges

[@yuliagrits.6099]

Tnx for video, I hope it'll help me to buy true Shure! From Russia, with love :3

[@marijamarkovic6995]

thank you for this video

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Marija Marković thank you for watching it :)

[@humanbeing4808]

+AdamThomasMusic U THINK THIS REAL uae.souq.com/ae-en/shure-sm58-dynamic-vocal-microphone-without-cable-9948929/i/

[@xXDarkxIdealsXx]

+Human Being Well it has the ridge at the top which is a good sign (at least on the picture) but it's impossible to tell without opening the box and looking at it.

[@nazb33]

I'm glad I saw this clip. I'll need to get home to check my mic. I bought one really cheap. I tested it and it sounded nice prior to purchase. I'm gutted now as I bought mine for £35 which you'll know is a bargain. I'll update you once I've checked tomorrow. I don't know why I'm posting these words from my head here. I've now officially joined the millennials, maybe...... Thanks for the video though

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Welcome to the millennial generation ;) It's upsetting to get a fake mic, buuuuuut if it sounds good it sounds good?

[@nazb33]

AdamThomasMusic I'm looking forward to get back home tomorrow to double check. I never thought of checking for fakes like this until I saw this clip earlier today. I'll be scrummaging around my flat now looking out for knock-offs!! Lol

[@MrPicklesAndTea]

Thanks

[@kavkawasdie]

Save my money also save my life, thanks mate!

[@meetimian3383]

Can you show us the sound difference between the real and the copy one?

[@AdamThomasMusic]

That sounds like a good idea. I would have to compare it to a real SM57 instead of an SM58 as I don't have one of those, so it wouldn't be an exact apples to apples comparison.

[@ceceandrick]

Got me a fake today Amazon Germany. As soon as it came it bubble wrap. The weight was off and not even as nice as my sure SV100 with on off switch. The direction are folded. They roll theres in the box so no fold. The print was off on the direction and soft mic zipper pouch Shure print is off. Sending it back.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Richard Braun that sucks, sorry that happened to you. I hope you get your money back

[@mypdf]

In Germany you can send everything, when it is unused, back.

[@kresbok8092]

Hi Man! cool video about the shure sm58, the thing is that i bough one today, i check your video before buying, and another more stuff online, liks pics, the thing is I GOT THE STICKER! but... everything else seems to say to me that IT'S ORIGINAL, this got me really confuse! and a little angry, but i got my silver part, inside the mic, the grey foam, the wires are different color green and blue, also i check the end low were the cannon cable goes, it got the numbers and shure letter on it, also the weight is pretty heavy, i got really scare when i see the sticker! the box look also really good, but is a white box and Legendary Vocal Microphone, Whay do you think! we try it at the store and sounds really good, plus i got a good deal of money on it, i mean i know that SHURE puts all the same price on it, meanwhile a fake is A LOT CHEAPER, this was like 100 pesos cheap... you think this is fake? am confuse, thanks in advance, cheers from Argentina.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Pablo Robles Hello. I think you may have a fake. The sticker is a bad sign and a lot of the fakes come in the white box (atleast they do in England). However if you tried it at the shop and you thought it sounded really good then you should keep it. Not all of the fake ones sound bad, and if it sounds good to your ear then keep it, you might have gotten a really good deal. If you are still unsure then I would recommend doing more research online. One sign of a fake is the quality of the leather case it came in, look that up and see how your case looks. Good luck my friend

[@100chuckjones]

+AdamThomasMusic shure used stickers on their older mic's. was it a brand new mic, or used ?a lot of the vintage Shure mic's sound brilliant and they did use stickers around the base.I have a unisphere ! Shure 565SD with the sticker, totally legit.

[@adamdarcy5674]

This video is a good idea for a good cause and you seem like a good bloke but not all these "give aways" are accurate. EG: •The green and yellow wires could be replaced with almost any colour in a repair job (granted you'd expect someone who is capable of repairing a 58 to use the correct colours but it could be all they have at the time) •The rim on the mic "Cap" or "Head" is irrelevant because the original head may have been replaced due to damage. •Some sound companies put labels such as these warning ones on their 58 modules to prevent employees attempting DIY repairs because of health and safety. So although all these signs are unusual, it doesn't necessarily mean that a 58 is a fake. Good points made: •The XLR socket rim should definitely be as one, not split. •The label/text along the top rim is very difficult to remove, so should definitely be there. •Most important: Sound quality. There are however differences between a couple of versions over the decades, I have a 58 from the 70s and the foam on the top of the module is light grey where as my 90s 58 has darker grey foam, plus the modules actually look a little different. I think you making this video is a great idea for awareness of fake 58s, so please don't think I'm "dissing" it in any way, I just don't want people to panic if there 58 looks different because of a repair job or something. To ad, I would say a good indication to spot a fake would be to unscrew the middle and check that there is a small rectangular surface visible, surfacing the dried hot-glue in the centre of the housing. This is the transformer, if there isn't one then it is fake.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

+adam d'arcy No offence taken at all. I hope by liking your post and commenting it'll allow people to see your corrections to my mistakes

[@adamdarcy5674]

They're not really "mistakes" just not all definite indications of a fake, s few of them as I say are definitely specs of a fake, such as the sound quality and the bottom where the XLR socket is... thanks for being cool man!

[@desmondmiles1066]

Hey man(adam d'arcy), can you help me figure out if this one is Legit or Fake? It's an SM58SK Made in China. I would appreciate any help. Here's the link: imgur.com/a/r71mf

[@moeshickenyay]

If you screw the grill head off, and it doesn’t have the sm58 shock mount cartiod mic goes up an down when you press on it, acts too suppress noise when it is being handled, then it is a fake.

[@dixonantony4813]

Shure original which country

[@John3121000]

what is reliable source of online buy of sm58 ? i am not in usa

[@AdamThomasMusic]

are there any music shops in your country who deliver? they should be reliable

[@John3121000]

AdamThomasMusic actually where i am ... believe me there arent

[@AttilaGC]

but how does the fake sound is it any good for a start???

[@AdamThomasMusic]

+Attila G-C my fake one sounds abit muddy and muffled. not as clear as a real one

[@AndGuitar]

You forgot the easiest difference which is the xlr pins are gold on fakes, real are silver.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

I hadn't realised that, thank you :)

[@AndGuitar]

Adam Thomas Music no problem! :)

[@citizenshane9919]

pretty "shure" the grill etc is stainless.. so you wouldnt get corrosion like that either

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Citizen Shane this is really useful information to share, thanks for this :)

[@bgttgb100]

Alright I'm no mic tec but the instant I heard the end thing I actually audibly went "ew" I have always just used what was on hand and worked with that, but that made me cringe for some reason.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

That's what you get from a fake mic lol I don't blame you for saying "ew". Imagine my surprise when the microphone I thought was a real Shure (which I had used prior) sounded like this

[@bgttgb100]

ya know, i use a phone bullet mic, that i made myself from an old dial phone from the 40's and it has an insane amount of fuzz and distortion, and yet i like the way it sounds. it's just what it's supposed to be i guess. when it's supposed to sound nice that amount of fuzz and metallic sound is just kinda nasty, and when it's supposed to sound like it's literally made of trash it's kinda nice to have that old fuzz vibe. it almost sounds like weak signal radio :)

[@AdamThomasMusic]

That's really cool dude. Sometimes the right sound can produce the best results, even if its not usually the right sound.

[@WyattOShea]

Rollo is that you? :D.

[@bunkerprodu]

Didn't understand what he said about the sound quality. Anyone?

[@AdamThomasMusic]

The bit at the end? It was a joke as I recorded the subscribe bit using the fake microphone

[@bunkerprodu]

Oh! Now I see! But did you find great difference in sound? I think there will be a difference in life time of the mic, problably the fake one will last shorter.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

One day I might do a straight comparison of sound, however from my own usage the fake sounds a little muffled and not as clear as the genuine microphone, however I have heard stories of people having actually good sounding fakes. I highly doubt the fake will last as long as the genuine, the quality build of shure microphones, especially their dynamic microphones is legendary, the fakes just cant compete

[@hiimmike_r]

Phew now i know mine is real thanks a lot

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Dragon Gaming no problemo :)

[@hiimmike_r]

Man I'd be so f!c#ing P!ss3d if I had a fake

[@100chuckjones]

looks just like the Shure PGA48.

[@Kragatar]

Well now I know why my SM58 doesn't sound as good as advertised. It is indeed a phony. Shit.

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Kragatar aw man it suck doesn't it

[@gillihansmobilewelding]

Fakes don't have transformers homie. Easiest way to tell.

[@divebag2000]

looks exactly a pg48

[@xXDarkxIdealsXx]

Am i the only one who thought he said "porn broker" at 0:03 ?

[@AdamThomasMusic]

+TheScaleless that's why I said broker instead of shop, in hopes that people would know I meant pawn instead of porn xD

[@eric6345]

I heard 'pawn broker'. I'm in the United States but even I can understand his British accent

[@chainiy_sensei]

Some fake mics sounds not so bad

[@darklinggolem]

WTF!!!? i thought. this is the video for the wireless one

[@banglasongs5350]

You Can Give Me A Mic,,,Original Sure Sm 58,,,,?,,,,,Iam From Bangladesh

[@lovpoke1]

In your fake it www.ifixit.com/Device/Shure_SM58 !!? Thread, there is no bright aluminum, and the dark color Korpu? Sa. I have the same microphone as the site, I bought it as used. The capsule as you have the original, have all transformer wires in the instructions.

[@6teeth318]

Stop touching your hair girl! :)

[@miguelsalami]

We like to refer to these as faux microphones there mate or microphony mics. But to call one FAKE well it's not FAKE if it's a REAL microphone Now is it❓Even Realistic mikes were made by Shure, Shhh! BUT AH you say there's always a butt isn't there well if it sounds FAKE just like your voice did at the end of this video while you were begging for subscribers well now that is What I call a FAKE MATE 😎

[@AdamThomasMusic]

Microphony has to be the best name I've heard for these haha, and yeah it's not the worst sounding mic ever, just annoyed that I ended up with this rather than an authentic (see what I did there, saying authentic instead of real) one.

[@miguelsalami]

JOLLY GOOD SHOW MATE JOLLY 👍 GOOD🎵🎶

[@user-vp9ub1fm8y]

lol.why to copy an already cheap microphone? because its legendary and everyone knows it

[@AdamThomasMusic]

People will do anything to make some quick cash

[@user-vp9ub1fm8y]

@@AdamThomasMusic this is what makes me wanna change my race,to be a wild animal.haha

[@cowsfly12345]

wow this is such fucking bullshit i paid like $90 for a shure sm58s on amazon and it has a sticker.. WTF IM SO PISSED

[@cowsfly12345]

***** yea i sent a couple of pics of it to shure via email and they confirmed it was a fake i got a refund and i ordered from sweetwater which i definitely recommend they're awesome and i'm so happy with my sm58 :D the lady at shure said sweetwater or musicians friend are the websites she would go with

[@jamisthebest123]

+torontothegood Amazon is legit as long as you order from amazon and not a second hand seller from amazon

[@charlieisamonster]

+Buzzy AM By legit I take it your not talking about TAX evasion???

[@jamisthebest123]

charlieisamonster what are you going on about?

[@charlieisamonster]

+Buzzy AM Amazon UK in 2015 paid only £11 million in tax on £5 billion worth of business. Tax avoidance not very legitimate.

[@joeschmoo1253]

Helpful but I can't understand your English talk ........to fast for this USA listeners slow down enunciate....however thanks for the post

[@andreaschristodoulou4274]

I hate this guy, all he is trying to say us that fakes or look a like sm58's aren't worth NOTHING and don't buy them. OK as long as you buying it for cheap say $25-35 its perfectly fine!! So next time when you do a promo be more fair and more precise.

[@meetimian3383]

Exactly. I'm also looking to buy a copy one with wireless transmitter. I guess they're pretty similar. And it is costing me only 95$ besides shipping charges

[@unshackledsailing950]

no he's trying to help people spot fakes and not get ripped off. If youre happy buying cheaply in the knowledge its a fake then great.